Deadline Deals Can't Save Raptors as Defensive Woes Lead to Fourth Quarter Collapse vs Jazz

The trade deadline couldn't save the Toronto Raptors who continued to have serious defensive lapses in a heartbreaking loss to the Utah Jazz

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

At this point, the answers are running thin.

This was supposed to be the turning point for the Toronto Raptors. Thursday's trade deadline was meant to breathe life into this dissapointing season. The front office showed faith in this group, bringing in Jakob Poeltl and buying at the trade deadline when all signs pointed toward bring deadline sellers. Surely the tanking Utah Jazz wouldn't put up much resistence?

Nope.

For what feels like the one millionth time this season, Toronto once again found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. After a near-perfect 36 minutes, the Raptors collapsed in the fourth quarter, allowing Utah to sneak away with a 122-116 victory Friday night.

Toronto's supposedly addequate defense dissapeared in the fourth. The Jazz simply paraded to the free throw line, getting in the bonus two minutes into the final quarter and then proceeded to pound the Raptors in the paint.

What happened?

"I will have to watch the tape," said a defeated Nick Nurse. "I will have to watch the tape."

Lauri Markkanen nailed a three pointer midway through the final frame a before Collin Sexton tied things up with an and-1 layup to erase Toronto's 13-point fourth quarter lead. The Raptors never quite regrouped. The offense that had been there all night for Toronto went silent with three straight missed three-pointers and the Jazz iced the game at the free-throw line.

"I take 100 percent blame on that," said Precious Achiuwa. "Got to do a better job of anchoring the defense back there, getting guys where they need to be. Just got to be better."

Would it have helped having Poeltl on the court? For sure. But in his first game back with the organization, the 27-year-old center wasn't quite ready for crunch time action. He played nearly 17 minutes off the bench.

"He was OK," Nurse said of Poeltl who finished the ngith with six points, two assists, and four rebounds. "Thought he did some good things, screen and rolls and got to the free throw line. I thought he played decent for just getting here for sure."

"He's trying to find his way and pick up on his sets and calls and things like that," said Fred VanVleet. "He got a couple rolls, a couple nice defensive plays. So we'll continue to work him in these last, however many, 26 games now. But obviously happy to have him."

For all of Poeltl's development in San Antonio, though, the 7-foot-1 center has yet to figure out his free throw shooting. He connected on just two of his seven attempts, missing critical gimmes from the line. 

Pascal Siakam continued to make his All-Star case, dropping 35 points just hours after the league announced he'd be an injury replacement for Kevin Durant. He opened the game with three consecutive three-pointers, making the most of Toronto's much-improved ball movement early.

The shooting just wouldn't hold up. Siakam missed a crucial three late in the fourth before VanVleet airballed Toronto's last chance-shot as the Raptors dropped five games below .500 and a half game back of the Washington Wizards for the 10th seed in the East.

"Can't get too caught up on one moment," VanVleet said. "The situation is what it is. You've got to just have tunnel vision and focus on the work that's in front of us. We'll let you guys speculate and write til your fingers fall off, but for us, we've got tough film to watch tomorrow, another good practice, and we've got our work to do on Sunday."

Highlight of the Night

If there was a brightspot on the night, Chris Boucher provided it in the second quarter, throwing down a ferocious one-handed slam in transition over Kelly Olynyk.

🗣 MOVE OUT THE WAY @chrisboucher https://t.co/no2bgPG6Hb pic.twitter.com/pGvnmu2N8B

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 11, 2023

Up Next: Detroit Pistons

The Raptors will be back at it against the Detroit Pistons at 3 pm on Super Bowl Sunday.